Oil-well pump



Aug. 13, 1929.

Filed dan. 4, 192B gwn... laolc ..5 ...2. n.. 22M ,YV/1.. 1. .ru

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

' UNITED STATES LEE J'. BLACK, 0F BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

OIL-WELL PUMP.

Application led January 4, 1928. Serial No. 244,495.

This invention relates to oil well pumps and more particularly to that type of pump wherein the oil is lifted from the well' by use of compressed air or gas or a mixture thereof. j l

An important object. of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein means are providedfor breaking up the oil into many small parts-or bubbles which are intermingled with the air, it having been found that by employing this method a considerable advantage results.

A further object lof the invention is to produce in a device of this character a jet nozzle at which the air and oil are mixed which is of suchconstruction that it may be readily adjusted or regulated for use under different conditions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be relatively simple in its construction and operation, which may be relatively cheaply produced and installed and which will be .durable and eflicient in service.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein :.-f

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing pumping 'apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention in lposition in the well;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the combination air and oil nozzles andcheck valve employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 generally desig` nates a well casing from the lower end of which oil is to be elevated. In accordance with my invention, I arrange'cwithin this easing tubing 11, the lower end of which is sealed to the casing by a packer 12. The tubingabove the packer 12 has arranged therein a plurality of jet nozzles 13, the number of which depends upon the depth of the well in which the device is installed. vThe upper end of the space between the casing and tubing is sealed, as designated at 1t, and this space is in communication with a source 15 of air under pressure. I am aware thatarrangements of this general character have been heretofore proposed, and that the general arrangement just described is not novel, vwith the exception of the construction of the nozzles or flow mixers 13 now described.

Each nozzle or fiow mixer 13 comprises a body 16 having a bore 1T, the upper end of which is enlarged, as at 18, whereby an upwardly facing at theinterior thereof. The exterior of the body is externally reduced at its lower end to produce a downwardly facing shoulder 2() andthe shoulders 20 and 19 are connected by upwardly converging ports 2l opening,l through each thereof. The smaller portion ofthe bore 17 is interiorly threaded at both its lower and upper ends, while the enlarged upper end of the bore' is threaded from its upper end to a point adjacent the lower end thereof. These last named threads are adapted to engage one of or adjacent ends of tubing sections and the lower end of the reduced portion of the body is exteriorly threaded to permit such engagement.

Vertically adjustable upon the threads of the larger bore 18 is an. annular guide 22, which may be held in position by a lock nut An annular valve 24 confronts the shoulder 19 and has a tubular stem 25 ex tending upwardly througlrand fitting the guide. This stem at its up er end is provided with a perforated wall 2G forming a screen for the upper end of the valve. A Spring 27 surrounds the stem between the guide and valve andconstantly urges the valve into' engagement with the shoulder 19 to seal the ports 21.

Engaged with the threads at the upper end of the smaller portion 17 of the bore of the bodyy is the lower end of an'air nozzle 28, the exterior wall ot' which has a sliding fit with the. interior of the tubular valve' stem 25 and the upper end of which is formed with a restricted mouth 29. In the wall of the air nozzle near its lower end is formed av series of' openings 30, the size and number of which depend upon the amount of fluid which must be handled'. That portion of the air nozzle which is engaged with the wall of the bore 17 is interiorily threaded for en gagement with the lower end of a fluid nozzle 31. which'has -an external diameter less than the internal diameter ofthe air nozzle,

so that an annular space is provided therebetween. This nozzle is-provided with a restricted ,mouth 32 of less size than the mouth of the air nozzle. Mounted in the threads at `the lower end of the bore 17 is a support shoulder 19 is produced .33- for the valve seat 34 and'cage 35 of a check valve 36.

The operation is as follows-z The air pressuie will rst act upon the uppermost valve and assuming that this pressure exceeds the pressure of the spring 2T of the valve, will lift the valve, uncovering successively the ports 2l and 30 to 'place the same in communication with one another. `Air passing through the ports and upwardly vbetween the concentric fluid and air nozzles will cause suction at the mouth of the fluid nozzle, creating a tendency to lift fluid from the space below. through the mouth 29 of the air nozzle is broken up by the conical air stream produced by tapering of the upper ends of the nozzles, so -that it is intimatelyl mixed therewith. This mixing is further increased by engagement of the mixture with the screen 26. so

` that after passing through this screen, 'the `air andzoil are thoroughly mixed. andthe oil vis broken up into a seriesof small'bubbles.

This aeration of the oil materially reduces the weight thereof and increases the length ofthe oil column which may be. raised by the air. The valves below the upper valve will successively come into play until the oil colu umn is of the same'pressure as the incoming air. It will be obvious that each of the check 'valvesSG will belifted from its seat, so that this -column will .be substantially continuous. As oil is blown from the well, successive valves will act as the lowermost valve, which' `is open, until inally the level of theoil is reduced to its lowest point'.

. pressure is removed, the check valves 36 will instantly seat. as will thevalves Q-l, so that' Then the air the oil within the tubing will remain at the level to which it has been advanced. For this reason, when operation -is again started,

' the flow of oil from the lwell vwill immediately start. Variation ofA the pressure at i whichA the valve 24 may open will be had b adjusting the guide 22 and its lock nut 2o, 'and' the amount of air delivered at this pres- `sure may be determined by varying Athe size or number of the erts 30. In this/connec-l tion, lit, is pointe out that varying percentages of vair are necessary to properly aerate oils of diierent viscosities.

Since thev construction hereinbefore set.

-forthis capableof a certain range of change and-modification without materially departing from th spirit ofthe invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed. ,i .-I claimt- 1. In .welllpumping apparatus, aconduit eommunicatmg at. its lower endwith Huid inthe well, said conduit having nozzle structuresat spacedl intervals, said nozzle structures each comprising a'body having a bore,

concentricnozzles in the bore and `having theiradjacentfaces spaced, a series of ports This fluid in its passagein the body for the passage of air or gas under pressure, a series of ports in the outer nozzle communicating with the space between the nozzles and a single valve controlling communication betwcen said ports and opening underv a predetermined pressure.

ing under a predetermined pressure and `2 means adjustable to control the which said valve opens. I

.3. In well pumping apparatus,.a conduit communicating at its lower end withiluid in the well, said conduit having nozzle strucl tures at spaced intervals, said nozzle structureseach comprising a body havin a bore, concentric nozzles,in the bore and:y havng their adjacent faces spaced, a series of ports in the bodyfor the passage of air or'gas under pressure, aseries of ports in the outer nozzle communicating with the space bepressure with tween the nozzles, a single valve controlling communication betweenfsaid ports and opening under afpredeterniined pressure, means adjustable to control the pressure with which said valve opens, said valve having a hollow stem surrounding the outer nozzle, and a screen carried by the upper end of Said stem and extending over ythe mouths ofthe nozzles. t

4.111 well pumping apparatus, a conduit.

communicating at its lower end with fluid in the well, said conduit having nozzle structures at spacedA intervals, said nozzle structures each comprising a body having a bore, concentric nozzles in the bore and having their-adjacent faces spaced, a. series of ports in the body for the passage 'of air or gas under pressure, a series of ports in the outer nozzle communicating with the space-be tween the nozzles, a single valve controlling communication between said ports and opening underl a predetermined pressure, means adjustable to control the pressure with which said valve opens,-said valve having n. hollow stem surrounding the outer nozzle, a screen carried by the upper' end of said stem and extending over the mouths ofthe nozzles,

'and 'means adjustable to control the pressure at which said valve opens.

5. In pumping apparatus, -a conduit communicating at its' lower end with fluid in the well, said conduit having nozzle struci Itures at 4spaced intervals, said nozzle strucconcentric nozzles in the bore and having their adjacent faces spaced, a series of ports in the body for the passage of air or gas underl pressure, a series of ports in the outer nozzle communicating with the space between the nozzles, n single valve controlling communication between said ports and opening under a predetermined pressure, the upper ends of said nozzles converging whereby the space between the nozzles at its upper end is conical and air or gas passing throughl said space intersects a `stream of fluid moving upwardly through the inner nozzle, said valve having a hollow stem surrounding the outer nozzle and a screen carried by the upper end of said stem and extending over the mouths of the nozzles.

In testlmony whereof-I affix my signature. 'LEE J. BLACK. 

